Coffee making device



Dec. 9, 1941. A. ALVERSON COFFEE MAKING DEVICE Filed March 21, 1941 LE five/ZZZ]? @295 U/ze/tsv/z Patented Dec. 9,

UNITED j STATES PATENT OFFICE coma MAKING omen Agnes ammo, Highwood, 111. Application March 21, 1941, sol-m no. sass:

40laims.

This invention relates generally to coffee making devices and in particular to a coffee making device of vacuum type.

In general the prior art coflee making devices I of vacuum type include a bowl or lower' portion I entering into the bowl. As the coffee drains from the top portion the coffeegrounds tend to adhere or stick to the inside wall of the top portion, so that when the coffee is entirely drained, such inside wall surface is substantially entirely coated with coffee grounds. The coffee grounds are usually removed by scraping with the hands, or wiping with a wash cloth or the like. This procedure is rather inconvenient and is particularly objectionable where the coffee makin device is used in restaurants or the like, since the person cleaning the top of the coffee maker is not available immediately afterward for waiting on any customers. That is, sufficient time must be permitted for the waiter to thoroughlywash his hands before he is ready for table service.

In those instances where the top of the coffee making device is composedv of metal, removal of the coffee grounds therefrom is oftentimes accomplished by inverting the top and knocking its open side on some stationary object to shake the coffee grounds loose from such top portion.- This manner of cleaning the top is objectionable since it results in leaving the top in a battered and dented condition to the extent that replacements thereof are frequently required. Since the top portion forms an appreciable part of .the initial costof theentire coffeemakingunit,itisreadily apparent that this method of removing the coffee grounds is rather expensive.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide an improved coffee making device of vacuum type. v v

It is a further obiect of this invention in provide improved means for removing the coflee grounds from the top portion of a coffee making device of vacuumtype. 7

It is another object of this invention to provide means for removing the coffee grounds from a simple and rugged in construction, satisfactory in operation, and relatively inexpensive so that any replacements thereof can be made with a minimum of cost.

A particular feature of this invention is found in the provision of a coffee ground removing element which is assembled with the holder for the coffee strainer means and is adapted to be rotated within the top portion of the coffee making device and in slidable engagement with the inner wall thereof, so as to thoroughly remove all coffee grounds which might be adhering to such wall. Coffee grounds are thus entirely and simply removed without in any manner coming into contact with the hands or without defacing the top in any way. 7 t Further objects, features andadvantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a coffee making device of vacuum type;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view as seen along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 showing the im- 5 proved coifee ground remover of this invention;

and

Fig. 3 is a detail plan viewof the invention. Referring to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. -l a coffee making device of vacuum type having a bottom bowl 5, with an upper bowl G I supported thereon. The upper bowl 6 is open at the top and isprovided at its bottom with an integrally formed outlet or drain I which is ar- -ranged substantially centrally of said bottom and extends within the lower bowl. The inner end of the outlet or drain I is provided with an annular recess or groove 8 adapted to receive therein a filter or strainer 9, which is retained within the recess 8 by a spring holder ll of substantially circular form. The holder u (Figs.

2 and 3) is composed of wire and is formed with overlapping bent end portions [2 and I3, the exe treme ends of which extend upwardly 'so as to be conveniently gripped by the hand for squeezing together. On squeezing of the ends l2 and "toward-each other, the wire holder l I is sprung sufllciently for positioning within the recess 8. Upon release of the ends 12 and I3, therefore," the strainer 9 is positively held in its operating.

position as is clearly shown in Fig. 2.

-In making coffee in a device of this type, the a bowl 5 is initially filled with water, this water on becoming heated passing upwardlythrough theextension 'I and into the upper bowl G. The

codes making device of vacuum type, which is coffee tote-mixed with this water is placed in the bowl 6 and is usually of, a ground When substantially all of the water from the form.

bowl 5 has passed into the bowl 6, the heat is removed from the bowl 5 and the water, now coffee, returns into the bowl 5, and is served directly therefrom, a handle for the bowl 5 being indicated as l6.

With practically all of the water from the bowl 5 being at one time in the bowl 6, the

' coffee grounds in the .bowl 6 may be lifted a considerable distance upwardly on the inside wall of the bowl 6. -n recession of the coffee. y

from the bowl 6 these coffee grounds tend to adhere to the inner surface of the bowl 6 so that moved by the element I7 dropping downwardly to the bottom of the "bowl in'a loose form. After the element II has been rotated through at least one complete revolutlon the coffee grounds are readily disposed of by inverting or turning the bowl 6 upside down. In coffee making devices of vacuum type, it is necessary to frequently replace the strainers or fllters 9 and the spring holder II. The replace- 10 ment of the holders II is due to the loss of sprin action therein resulting from its frequent bending or squeezing together. It is apparent, therefore, that when the spring holder II is no longer capable of retaining the strainer 9 tightly against on completion of the draining the inner wall of 16 the walls of the recess 8, that coffee grounds the bowl 6 is substantially completely covered shape corresponding to the contour of the inside wall of the upper bowl 6. Supporting of the element il within the upper bowl 6 is accomplished by means including a bracket unit l8 extending-across the holder H and including a pair of separable portions l9 and-2l formed of sheet metal and connected at their outer ends to .the holder H by soldering or like means. The

inner ends of the portions l9 and 2| are connected together for relative slidable movement by a pin or axis means 22, extended through the portion 2| and positioned in a slot 23 formed in stantially the circular center of .the holder u so -that with the holder in position within the recess l the pin is located substantially centrally of the bottom of the bowl 6. The relative slidable 4 movement of the inner ends of ,the portions l9 and 2| permits the holder I lto be freely sprung, the position of the pin 22 in the portion 2| cen-'- trally positioning the pin when the holder H is in its filter holding position.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 3 the lower end 24 of the element I1 is ,of substantially eyelet form adapted to receive therein theaxis means 22.

v The element I! is thus supported across the wire It is obcentrally of the bottom of the bowl 6, the element H on rotation .therebf within the bowl 6 slidably engages substantially all portions of the inside wall thereof, this slidable engagement serving to remove from the wall any coffee ,5

, open topped container in which water is'mixed grounds adhering thereto. The rotation of the element I1 is facilitated by the forming. of a bowl 5 the coffee grounds in the upper bowl .6

are simply removed by holding the extension I in one hand and manipulating the scraper elemight enter the bowl 5: Because of the wire construction of the scraper element l1, and the forming of the bracket Hi from sheet or stamping metal, the entire assembly of the wire-holder -II and coffee ground remover I! is relatively inexpensive so that replacements of the complete .unit can be made at a very minimum of cost. It is to be understood, of course, that the outer ends of the separable portions Is -and 2| may be 25 adapted to be clamped on the wire holder ll so as to be releasably connected thereto. The wire holder ll may thus be replaced independently of the element l1 and its supporting means.

Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with reference to only a specific embodiment thereof it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited, since alterations and modifications therein can be made which arewithin the full intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

, Iclaim:

1. In a device for making coifee, including a bowl-shaped container in which water is mixed with ground coifee, said container having an out- 40 Y the portion 19. The pm 22 is arranged at let drain at the bottom thereof with an annular scraping element, strainer means at said outlet including a wire filter holder adapted to be sprung within said annular recess to retain said filter'over said outlet, bracketmeans having a pair of separable portions extending across said filter holder with the outer ends of said portions being supported on said wire holder, with the innerend of one of said portions being formed I with a slot, axis means extending through the inner end of the other of said separable portions and through said slot so that said portions are relatively movable when said wire holder is sprung inwardly,said scraperelement being pivotally supported at oneend on said axis means and extending upwardly therefrom in mating slidable engagement with said inside wall, with rotation of said element about said axis means scraping off any coflee grounds adhering to said inside wall.

2. In a device for making coffee including an with ground coffee, said container having an outlet drain located substantially in the center of the bottom thereof, the combination of means for removing the coflfee grounds from the inside ment l1 with the other, the coffee grounds re- 7 strainer holding position, said wire holder having r 2,205,505 overlapping end portions, bracket means includscraper element being rotatably supported at one ing a pair of separable portions-extending diametrically across said wire holder in a direction substantially parallel to the path of movement of said overlapping end portions, with the outer ends of said separable portions being supported on said wire holder and the inner ends of said a with the inside wall of said container, with saidportions being connectedtogether but relatively slidable, and axis means extending through said inner ends and pivotally supporting one end of said scraper element, with said scraper element extending upwardly in mating contour with said inside wall, said axis means being.at the center a of the bottom of said container when the wire holder isin a'stralner holding position so that rotation of said element about said axis means serves to scrape oil from said inside wall any cofiee grounds adhering thereto.

3. In a coffee making device including 'an i open-topped container of substantially bowl shape having an outlet drain arranged, substantially centrally in the bottom thereof, with the water for said coffee being mixed with ground coffee in said container, the combination of a scraper element for removing the coffee grounds from the inside wall of said container after the coffee has been drained from said container.

means at said outlet including awire strainer holder of substantially circular form adapted to be sprung into a strainer holding position at said outlet, a supporting member connected at one end tosaid 'wire holder, with its opposite'end extending inwardly or said wire holder; and axis means providednear the inner end of said bracket member and arranged substantially at the circular center of said wire holder, said' end on said axis means and having a portion thereof extending upwardly in mating contour portion on rotation of said scraper element slidably engaging said inside wall to remove 'any' coflee grounds from the same.

- 4. In a coffee making device having a top por-- tion of substantially bowl shape in which the ground cofiee is mixed with. water, said top portion being formed with an outlet drain located substantially centrally in the bottom thereof having a strainer extending thereacross, the combination of'an element for removing the cofiee grounds from the inside wall of the top portionv after the coflee has been drained therefrom, said element being formed of wire and shaped in correspondence with the contour of said inside wall, means rotatably supporting said element at one of its ends including a wire. circular spring I member for holding said strainer at said outlet.. a bracket member connected at one end to said wire holder, with its other end extending inwardly thereof, and axis. means on said bracket member at said inner end positioned substantially at the circular 'center'of said'wire holder, said one end of said element being of eyelet form for re- 

